Post date: May 30, 2009 11:55:50 PM
Hi Everyone
I made it to the Clearwater Lodge on Friday
but it wasn't pleasant. Things started out good
on the Border Route Trail on Thursday. The Trail
around the Gunflint Lodge to Hestons was good.
But unfortunately I missed the South Rim Trail and
unwittingly was taking the Mid Cliffs Trail. This is all
good because it would qualify as an "exceptable alternative"
to the Border Route. Once I made it down near Heston's
I reconnected with the Border Route. The trail is really
well maintained from Heston's out to Bridal Falls.
It has a 4 foot wide area to hike in, which is a lot better
than places on the Kekekabic where you are lucky
to have a foot wide area to walk in. It seemed like I was
walking away from Gunflint Lake all day. The Trail is marked with
blue ribbon all the way out to the Crab Lake Access Trail.
Affter that trail, it is not marked and the Trail becomes unruly.
The part around Topper Lake is particularly bad with several
big nasty downed trees in the way. I stayed overnight at the
Topper Lake Campsite, which was nice.
On Friday, I woke up and was on the Trail by 6 am.
I was determined to make it to Clearwater Lodge by
Friday Night.. I made it through some very beautiful
scenery, but the trail is being encroached upon by vegetation.
Lots of small pine trees are overgrowing the trail.
I lost the trail for a while before Starwell Falls and Portage.
There is a scenic overlook a mile before the falls. I lost the
Trail going down the hill. It looked as though the trail went down steeply
to the bottom of the hill. I went down then couldn't find the
Trail at the bottom. I didn't want to walk back up the hill so I bushwhacked
a ways then finally found the trail. By the way, I hate buskwhacking.
I made it to the Stairway Falls and Portage. This is an amazing spot.
It is a beautiful falls, plus the gigantic wooden Stairway for portaging
is an unusual site out in the wilderness. I also made it to the Rose Cliffs
whic are beautiful. Again, the trail is really overgrown by vegetation.
In some places, little pine trees obliterate the trail. I made it
down through 2 campsites on Rose Lake, then the Border Route
connects with a portage from Rose Lake to Daniels Lake. This area
of the Trail is very nice for two reasons, it's a portage, and it's a
former railroad bed,
I made it to the Daniels Lake Access Trail with plenty of Daylight
to make it to the Clearwater Lodge. The Access Trail is generally
pretty good because it still is a former Railroad bed. I passed
two nice campsites on Daniels Lake. Then the Trail turns east
towards Clearwater Road. Generally, the hiking is good until
you reach a 50 yard stretch where the trail becomes a creek.
Then there is another 20 yard section that is wet. The Trailhead
is underwater too.
I stayed overnight in a Screen hut, which is a little building
with a lot of screens and tarps that can cover them. It was
only $16 a night, and is for people going out for canoe trips.
Well, the next portion of the Border Route is about 45 miles
before I reach another Inn or Town. I really didn't want to
risk it if the Trail is as narly as I've seen it. Instead, I've decided
on Plan B. I'm going to hike the Superior Hiking Trail
from Grand Marais
I managed to get a ride from the Clearwater Lodge for
an expensive price, and I'm staying at the Best Western
in Grand Marais tonight. But it's a price I had to pay to
get to a better trail.
Today, on the shore, I met David and Rachel who
backpacked the Superior Hiking Trail from Casade
State Park to Grand Marais. They say the trail is really
good, with very little obstruction. This is good news
for me.
I also met Tim and Jolene from Elk River. They are
celebrating there 17th anniversary this weekend.
Congratulations to them
Grand Marais is a quaint little town which reminds me
on Cicily, Alaska, the town on the TV show Northern Exposure.
So I'm hiking down the Superior Hiking Trail for the next few days
then I'll have to decide whether to end this little adventure.
That's all for now, Todd